This tutorial is entirely my own work and any resemblance to any other is purely co-incidental.
Please do not copy, duplicate, translate, script or use in any groups without my permission.
My grateful thanks as always to my wonderful team of testers at Force Fantastic.
Eye of the Beholder
A scrolling top border Tutorial
This is what we are making:-
All the measurements given are for a screen size of 1024 x 768 if yours is different you will need to adjust accordingly.
The example below was created using a masked graphic. I'm afraid I do not know the artist.
You will need:
PSP I have completed this in X but it can be worked in other versions
A tube or a graphic. A misted tube works well for this.
Selections. Download here and unzip into your Selections Folder.
Simple Filters
RCS Filter Pack 1
Mura Seamless
DSB Flux
Xero Filters (Optional)
20-20 or Circle Fade Mask if you are using a graphic or a non-misted tube. Find them Here.
If you have everything you need let's get started.
1. Open you tube or graphic in PSP and using your dropper tool choose your foreground and background colours. We are going to create a foreground-background gradient. They don't have to be of the same colour group you can work this tutorial with two different colours. You can minimise your graphic for now.
2. Materials Palette/Gradient Tab/Edit/Foreground-Background/Angle 0/Repeats 0/Invert NOT checked.
3. Open a new transparent image 1024 wide x 350 high and flood fill with your gradient.
4. Effects/Plugins/Mura Seamless/Shift at Arch using the following settings:-
5. Effects/Plugins/Simple Filters/Blintz
6. Effects/Plugins/Simple Filters/Pizza Slice Mirror
7. Image/Mirror
8. Effects/Plugins/Simple Filters/Top Left Mirror
9. Selections/Load/Save Selections/Load Selection from Disk/Load Selection Eye of the Beholder 2 using the following settings:-
10. Selections/Promote Selection to Layer
11. Close your bottom layer by clicking on the eye in your Layer Palette.
12. Working on your top layer (make sure it's still highlighted) and with the selection still active: Effects/Plugins/DSB Flux/Linear Transmission using the following settings:-
13. Effects 3D Effects/Inner Bevel using the following settings:
14. Selections/Modify/Feather/5 Pixels
15. Selections/Invert
16. Hit Delete on your keyboard 3 (three) times
17. Selections/Select None
18. Effects/Plugins/DSB Flux/Linear Transmission using the following settings:-
19. Layers/Duplicate
20. Image/Mirror
21. Layers/Merge/Merge Visible.
22. Close the top merged layer by clicking on the eye in your Layer Palette and open and highlight the bottom Raster 1 Layer.
23. Effects/Plugins/RCS Filter Pack/Atomic Split using the following settings:-Effect 115
24. Selections/Load/Save Selection/Load Selection from Disk/Load Selection Eye of the Beholder 'Eye' using the following settings:-
25. Effects/Plugins/DSB Flux/Linear Transmission using the same settings as in step 12: 1/0/-12 Vertical
26. Effects/Plugins/DSB Flux/Linear Transmission using the following settings:-
27. Effects/3D Effects/Inner Bevel using the same settings as before
28. Selections/Modify/Feather/5 Pixels
29. Selections/Invert
30. Press delete on your keyboard 3 (three) times
31. Selections/Select None
32. Layers/Arrange/Bring to Top
33. Open your bottom layer and with your top layer highlighted/Effects/3D Effects/Drop Shadow using the following settings:-
34. Repeat Drop Shadow with Minus Three -3 Settings.
35. Layers/New Raster Layer
36. Layers/Arrange/Send to Bottom
37. Image/Canvas Size using the following settings:-
38. Choose a colour for the background to your letter. I like to go darker but it is equally as effective with a lighter background and flood fill your bottom layer with your chosen colour.
39. Adjust/Add Remove Noise/Add Noise/Gaussian/8/Monochrome CHECKED.
40. Close your bottom layer by clicking on the eye in the Layer Palette
41. Highlight your middle layer and Effects/3D Effects Drop Shadow using the same settings as before.
42. Repeat Drop Shadow with Minus Three -3 Settings.
43. Layers/Merge/Merge Visible.
44. Open your bottom layer but keep your top merged layer highlighted.
45. This step is optional. If you are happy with your image then leave it as is. I like to use this if I have used a strong colour and am putting the image on a dark background. Effects/Plugins/Xero Filters/Soft Mood using the following settings:- Keep the Haziness at 0 and adjust the glow to your own preference. For this orange it is set at 100 but you may need more or less depending on your image colour.
46. Minimise your main image and maximise your graphic or tube
47. Image/Resize. Your tube or graphic should be no larger than 280 pixels in height at the centre. Width can be anything up to 500. A reclining figure like the example here is perfect but of course it isn't necessary to add an image at all. You can decorate with accents and text (see below). If you are using a normal square graphic or an unmisted tube resize and then mask with either 20-20 or circle fade mask before positioning on your main image.
The tube I have used is by Giada
48. Edit/Copy your prepared image.
49. Edit/Paste as a New Layer onto your main image and position in the centre of the eye shape.
50. Add a new Raster Layer and add your watermark and you are done.
Export as a Jpeg with the compression at 25. When assembling in Letter Creator adjust the Top text to around 360 and do NOT tile.
Created using Balloon Accents and Text
The misted tube I have used for this example is by Kat
I hope you have enjoyed this tutorial. If you have any queries or would just like to share your result with me you can contact me here
©Tricia. February 17th 2007